Vol. VII. 



1908 



J Stray Feathers i8q 



The description of these performances of Ostriches are strikingly 

 h'ke those described by myself in The Emu of April, 1906, p. 192, 

 in connection with Southern Stone-Plovers. My words are as 

 follows : — " At times these Plovers performed peculiar antics or 

 dances. When in this humour one of the birds would run with 

 outstretched wings about 20 or 30 yards, bending occasionally to 

 this or that side, or even turning suddenly completely round. 

 (Is there any connection between this and, on the one hand, the 

 weird dances of the Native Companion {Antigone anstralasiand) 

 — on the other, the peculiar little duck of the head when walking 

 practised by some of the Dottrels and their allies ?) " I hardly 

 think the explanation given in the case of the Ostriches {i.e., 

 escape from pursuers) can apply to the Southern Stone- Plovers, 

 and to me it seems more likely that all these peculiar actions — 

 in the Ostrich, Stone-Plover, Australian Crane, and various 

 Dottrels — are individual specific or even generic characteristics, 

 as bound up with the bird in question as any other recognised 

 descriptive trait, such as plumage, size, &c. While on this 

 question of bird actions, can anyone give an explanation of the 

 peculiar flicking of the tail in some Bald-Coots {Porphyria), 

 which takes place v/hen they are alarmed ^ This flicking 

 exposes a patch of pure white feathers, which are then very 

 noticeable. — (Dr.) J. B. Cleland. Perth (W.A.), 25/2/08. 



Characteristic Traits of the Tasmanian Magpie. — 

 In support of the contention that the Lesser White-backed 

 Magpie {Gyinnorhina Jiyperlcncd) is a bird of distinctive character, 

 I will narrate an incident which I witnessed a {^tw years ago. I 

 preface the narration of it with the remark that it is a matter 

 for regret that the name " Magpie-Shrike " was not bestowed 

 upon this bird in preference to a name which has been for so 

 long a time and until recently was exclusively applied to another 

 bird. A Grey Butcher-Bird {Ci'ticticus cinereus), which affected 

 a certain locality, darted suddenly in pursuit of a small bird — I 

 think, a House-Sparrow — whereupon a Magpie appeared and 

 intercepted the Butcher-Bird, and by circling round the smaller 

 bird caused the former to desist from its purpose and to take to 

 flight. I have already alluded in The Enin to a habit of chasing 

 Ground-Larks {AntJuis). On a later occasion I saw the Ground- 

 Lark overtaken by the Magpie. The Magpie, however, only 

 brushed past the Ground-Lark (which uttered a shrill cry) and 

 went its way. 



A tame female Magpie, which I have seen on one or two 

 occasions, was sometimes attacked by a wild bird of the same 

 species, and defended itself by lying on its back, and in that 

 position warding ofi" its opponent with beak and feet. If 

 decisively worsted, it retired beneath a leafy bush, whither the 



